


What change can do

by SunsetSwish



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Wings, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:14:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21935788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetSwish/pseuds/SunsetSwish
Summary: Happy Christmas, chefhector, I hope you like this. It was supposed to be "just" a soulmate AU but it suddenly became a wing-fic as well.The AU is this: in universes with magic, meeting your soulmate activates your powers/unlocks more powerful magic.In this world, The Nephilim, mundanes and Downworlders live in three different planes of the world. Nephilim can cross through all of them, the Downworlders can go to the mundanes. There has never been a war between them.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 13
Kudos: 312
Collections: Favorite Malec Stories, The Malec Secret Santa - Edition 2019





	What change can do

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chefhector](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=chefhector).



Alec's mark is in the same place as everyone else's. He was born with it, he carries it on the inside of his wrist, just like everyone else.

For a child, a soulmark doesn't mean much. Parents, reasonably, tell their children not to worry about it, because it will come to be important on its own, later. Much later.

Maryse is the same kind of parent. Her children are supposed to learn and train and when the time comes, they'll find their partners because that's how it goes. Maryse doesn't care for the romantic aspect of the partnership. She was never Robert's soulmate, anyway, but they made it work.

Nephilim are there to keep the world safe and it's _important_ for them to find their mates for one reason: Soulbond makes you stronger.

Alec grows up aware of it but he's also taught to only ever rely on himself. No Soulbond can make one a better Shadowhunter if one wasn't already a _good_ Shadowhunter to begin with. Besides, Shadowhunters die. It's not as often as it used to be, thanks to the evolving technology, but their calling is still a dangerous one. There is no sign to tell them that their soulmate has already died and the marks are unchanging from birth to death.

At seventeen, Alec lies in bed after a successful patrol, looking at his wrist in the low light of the lamp on the nightstand. He hasn't decided yet what he feels about the complicated pattern. Of course, he prefers to have it rather than not because it would be _completely_ strange if he didn't have one but he wonders sometimes how it'd be like to live without a person destined to be with you. Would it be simpler?

Sometimes he thinks his mother thinks so. She isn't too willing to discuss his mark with him, preferring to go over reports instead to teach him how to approve them.

The Lightwood children know their parents aren't soulmates. Alec wonders if that's why his mother looks at his mark strangely sometimes and why she doesn't _encourage_ him to search for his mate.

Maryse directs him to more leading than hunting positions and it only makes sense she'd want her own heir to the Institute. The leaders are chosen on their merits but it doesn't stop the oldest bloodlines from keeping up their aristocracy status all over Nephilim world. Alec doesn't mind his mother's ambitions for him. He has his own ambitions and he can see himself where his mother is when he's old enough.

It's all fine.

It isn't until he's nearing 19 years of age when he realizes his mark isn't quite like the others. Obviously, they all differ from each other like snowflakes but his is _different_.

Alec only sees that when he's with his sister, adoptive brother, his soulmate, and their friends: the consul's daughter and her soulmate. Aline and Helen have met four months ago and they are one of the pairs proving that soulmates really become better together. Quicker, stronger, more observant, healing faster.

Jace and Clary are another pair. (Alec's complicated feelings about not matching up with Jace are his own secret.)

Just like Alec, Izzy hasn't met her mate yet but Alec personally believes she shouldn't want to rush.

Of course, his sister wants to have her mate already. She's full of energy, an excellent warrior on her own, and she can't wait to be even better than that.

That day, they end up discussing the Soulbond and the marks in their little group and it's then that Alec sees his pattern is simply different from everyone else's. The marks are like a dense pattern, an ornament on the skin made from crossing straight lines. His is the same size as the others, fitting the width of the wrist, but it isn't made up from _just_ straight lines. There are two loops and one s-like line among the crossing triangles and octagons.

Alec knows their parents don't have any curling lines, either, but he never gave it a second thought before. He never _studied_ other marks before, because he didn't care to and it'd be a little rude to stare at someone's mark outside of the family.

He doesn't know if it means anything.

Nephilim society is much, much smaller than the mundane one and finding one's mate is also much, much easier than in the mundane world. There have been ideas of creating a database with photos of marks made in childhood but it was never implemented because of reasonable concerns about the soulmates' safety in case someone didn't like their children marrying into a specific family.

When he's 21, Alec's mother still doesn't seem to think he should be actively looking for his mate. She keeps him busy with work, preparing him for his future.

And maybe it makes sense- if he's supposed to be in the Institute leading it, it matters less for him to have a compatible partner to be better fighters with. It matters more that he knows the Law and the procedures, and it's more important that he meets other Institute leaders and diplomats to give a good foundation for his career, not his soulmate partnership.

The only thing is, Alec wants to be loved.

Alec still goes on patrols because it wouldn't do for him to lose his good form and be out of practice for when it will be needed. The mundanes go about their lives unaware of the demonic threat hanging over them, kept back efficiently by the Shadowhunters.

They're also unaware of the other layer of the world: the underworld, the _Downworld_ , the dark realm of magic and creatures with only half of human blood.

The Nephilim generally don't interact with them unless there is a demon summoning involved and the responsible warlock has to be found. The magic users of the Downworld are capable of summoning demons or making requests of them but to be fair, that happens rarely.

They stay away from each other since the oldest times, the Nephilim not wanting to mingle with those with tainted blood and the Downworlders not caring to be around the uppity winged creatures.

There have been some attempts at establishing diplomatic relations but those attempts had an effect for maybe ten years each time and they were only local for certain Institutes, not spanning the whole underworld.

Surprisingly for Alec, his sister becomes interested in the history of those relations. She comes to him after one of her patrols, talking about the people she's met in the mundane world, ones with half-demon blood.

Alec isn't very approving of that, not wanting his sister to put herself in danger. Not that there have been many cases of conflict but Alec prefers them to be safe rather than sorry.

Downworlders aren't forbidden from coming to the mundane world but they rarely do so because a warlock is needed to let them through. There are exceptions where Downworlders make a life for themselves in the mundane world. Most of the time they're warlocks and werewolves.

Isabelle is sitting sideways on the edge of his desk, looking down at him.

"Look, do you really think we should live like this _forever_? Separate?"

Alec's eyebrows rise.

"Yes? What need do we have to be working with them? We're doing our work on our own and we don't need distractions from that."

"You sound exactly like mom, you know that?"

"Maybe it's because that's what she taught us, because it's right?"

"I just think that's _lazy_. We could get help from them. We could get information from them. Unlike us, some Downworlders have mundane spouses and they live in the mundane world."

Alec sighs.

"I know that. It still doesn't make them useful to us. One, they'd have to run across demons to give us information about them or two, they'd have to betray their own kind to tell us about those who _summon_ demons."

"It wouldn't have to be a betrayal. They don't want demons as much as we don't want them. It's like saying the mundanes wouldn't ever talk about their mundane criminals."

Izzy looks exasperated and maybe even a little angry with him.

"Maybe so. We still have more important things to do than that."

"Would you consider going there with me, just to see if maybe they'd be willing to talk with us?"

"Izzy, no. I'm not going anywhere to try _something_ that isn't even going to get us anything."

She turns around and storms off without a word.

Over the next two weeks, Alec figures out that his sister isn't running into Downworlders randomly in the mundane world. She is going _to_ them.

Nephilim are allowed to go to the underworld but since there's just no need for them to ever do that, they're out of place in the markets of the Downworld, what with their wings and their over-serious attitudes.

Alec finds himself there one day, following his sister. He's very much out of place. He tucks his wings behind him to make himself smaller because he'd hate to accidentally knock something over in the more cramped streets of the market.

He hasn't lost track of Isabelle but he's taking his time, looking around. This place is not different from the mundane markets in terms of layout or architecture. What's different is the werewolf, warlock and Seelie sellers and patrons. And vampires, too. In the underworld, the light is not their enemy.

Alec is glancing at the wares, the potions and amulets, and other perfectly ordinary items needed for everyday life.

It's a little noisy.

Two collared hellhounds run past him, barking excitedly.

A minute later child runs up to Alec. He startles a little because the only child he ever interacted with so far was his own little brother so he's not entirely sure how to proceed with a stranger's kid. What he knows, though, is that he should lean down to hear what the kid wants from him.

Alec crouches down and the child's eyes widen, clearly focusing on what's behind Alec's face: on his wings.

"Hello," Alec says.

"Hello," the child echoes. And then: "Are those real?"

Alec chuckles. "Yes. They are real. Do you know about Nephilim?"

The child nods and keeps staring.

"I'm visiting for a little while."

"Oh."

It's an 'oh' full of awe more than just acknowledgement of the information.

Alec can't fight the smile that's curling his lips. He waits. The messy-haired child is still looking at him, wide-eyed, and he wonders if he'll be asked more questions.

Then he sees the question is clearly coming.

"Can you take a feather out?"

Not quite what he expected, but…

"Just one? Yes."

"Will you? Please, would you give me one?" The boy's hopeful face wins him over.

"One for you, because you asked politely," Alec says with acted solemnity.

The boy claps his hands in excitement.

Alec looks over his shoulder, unfolding his left wing a little to find a suitable feather. There are some that need to be removed soon to make room for new, undamaged ones. He picks the best one so that the kid can have it.

He hands it over and the kid hesitates before taking it in his little hand. Once he has it, he gasps, shouts thanks to Alec and runs off. There's a little group of children watching them a little distance away and the boy runs to them, showing his treasure.

Alec chuckles. Max used to be just as easily excited when he was that young. He _still_ is young but he's so interested in learning new things now, he doesn't play as often as he used to.

Alec stands up from his crouch, knowing that he's now more behind on searching for his sister than he was. When he straightens up, he sees something.

A warlock is watching him and probably has been watching since he started talking to the child. He's leaning against the wall with one shoulder, his pose casual, his head tilted in a curious manner.

He's beautiful.

Alec blinks.

The warlock smiles.

Alec stands there, waiting to see if the man wants something from him, even though he should go on his way.

With grace, the man uncrosses his arms, straightens and walks over to Alec. He gives Alec an obvious once-over, including his wings.

"What is a child of the Angels doing down here? What do you want from us?"

"Nothing," Alec shakes his head. "I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh? You don't want anything from _us_ , which means there is another one of you around for you to wait for?"

"No, I-" Alec flounders for an excuse but the man raises his hand.

"Relax, little bird. I'm not accusing you of anything."

Alec doesn't relax. He crosses his arms on his chest.

The stranger warlock seems amused for some reason but Alec prefers to be careful and do his best to avoid angering anyone around.

The warlock speaks again: "Is the one you're waiting for dark-haired and winged as you are?"

"Maybe."

"Family?" He makes a gesture indicating Alec's wings. "Same patterned feathers."

"Maybe."

The stranger chuckles. "Do you want me to take you to Isabelle, little bird?"

Alec's eyes narrow. Do these people know his sister by name? He doesn't try to pretend anymore so he nods.

"I would like to hear your name first," the warlock says. "If you're willing to give it."

"Alec."

"So short?" he tilts his head as if he's trying to fit the name to the man. Then, he gives his hand for Alec to shake.

"Magnus Bane."

When Alec does, static electricity that passes between them makes his fingers twitch in surprise. The no-longer-stranger feels it, too, but he doesn't say anything.

"Follow me, Alec."

Alec follows. They walk side by side, the warlock's movements are graceful, fluid. Alec is stealing glances at him, at his hair and his black-lined eyes, and the silver earcuff on his right ear.

He's not like the others. The jewelry and make-up stand out the most and Alec realizes that the whole area looks… kind of poor. Not like slums but there is a certain level of restraint in the clothing of the people around. Minimal jewelry, clothing appropriate for the weather and not fancy. No, not poor – _modest_.

Both the Nephilim and Downworlders have different fashions from the mundane people and Alec can see the difference between his own people and those walking past him and Magnus.

He eyes Magnus again. Warlocks have magic and therefore are the most respected members of the Downworld. It'd make sense for them to be better dressed than the others. Still, Alec supposes magic can't _make_ money or else things would be looking very differently here.

They've entered the residential area. Alec wouldn't have ventured here on his own without some reservations and when he'd come here first, his tracking told him Izzy was somewhere near the market. Now he knows she isn't there anymore because he's lost too much time and he decides to just follow Magnus.

Knowing his sister's name isn't enough for Alec to remotely trust him but Alec also doesn't want to offend anyone by being overly cautious. If anything happens, he has his weapons on him, concealed.

"Here we are," Magnus makes a grand gesture at the door which is too plain to be presented to anyone this way.

"Is this someone's home or…?"

"Or." Magnus smirks.

Alec looks at the building. It's modest, normal for the underworld. It's clean and tidy around it. There are hanging lacy curtains in the windows so he can't see anything inside.

"Lead the way," Alec tells his warlock guide.

They enter and immediately hear the voices of the house's occupants. Isabelle's voice is among them and the others sound like children.

Alec is confused but more than that, he's curious. Even though he could now go to his sister on his own, following the sounds, he waits for Magnus to take him to the right room.

Isabelle is sitting in a large living room, a whole group of children of various ages around her and an adult woman with blue skin and white hair is bowed over the same thing Izzy is looking at.

Alec and Magnus stop in the open door and Magnus is silent while Alec takes the scene in. Soon enough, he realizes that Isabelle is drawing blood from one of the children under the blue woman's watchful eye. To his surprise, the other kids are watching too, curious rather than afraid of the needle. Leave it to Isabelle to make them interested in a procedure normally considered scary by kids.

He would have hated to distract her from such a delicate work so only when she's done, does he speak up.

"Hello?" He starts, hesitating over his words. After all, it's not like he was invited to follow her. Although, on the other hand, she had tried to talk with him about the underworld. She probably would have asked him to come with her.

Isabelle looks up, surprised, but then she smiles widely when she sees him.

"Alec!" She stands up and the children make room for her to get to the door.

"What are you doing here? You followed me? Or is something wrong topside?"

"No, nothing is wrong, I only… wanted to see what you're doing."

"Well, you found me. And if you're willing to _listen_ now, I will tell you all about what I've been doing."

She pauses and looks at the man still standing beside Alec.

"Thank you for bringing my brother here instead of chasing him off."

Magnus shrugs.

"He didn't do anything to deserve chasing. And it was no hardship," he gives Alec a pointed look that the Nephilim struggles to understand. Those golden eyes have a power to make him flustered, it seems, so Alec seeks a distraction – no, wait, it's the other way around. He's here for a serious matter and those eyes _are_ the distraction.

"All right," Alec turns to his sister, "so what is this?"

"This is an orphanage and I am here to help with the sickness that has been weakening Downworlder children."

Alec frowns. "Is it serious?"

"Not yet," Isabelle answers and at the same time, Magnus says: "It can be."

"Okay," Alec says slowly, "How did you even know about this?"

"I ran into one warlock in the mundane world on my regular patrol. He was looking for some things to help with potions. We talked. He suggested that I see this for myself. So I did."

"And now? What are you going to do? Researching this?"

She nods. "I'll be taking the blood samples to our lab, see what I can find out."

Alec has several conflicting thoughts in his head. He isn't entirely surprised that Isabelle decided to do something like this. She's good at science and figuring things out. She's also compassionate.

At the same time, Alec wonders if she's here in part to spite their mother and maybe in a way, him.

But it doesn't really matter. What matters is that she's here, she's doing this and Alec knows she won't stop.

The best he can do is get some more information.

When he starts asking more questions, Magnus interrupts him gently and suggests they go sit down instead of standing in the living room with the kids.

First, he walks over to the other woman and exchanges some words with her. She's been watching them talk but she didn't leave the children to join them.

Then, Magnus leads them to a side room which looks like an office, if it was normal for offices to have amulets and magical artefacts all over the shelves, fighting for space with the many books, no doubt containing spells.

Alec tucks his wings close again but Isabelle appears to be much more at ease. How many times has she already come here?

Magnus sits down with the same grace he walks and does anything else. Alec chastises himself for noticing.

"Like she already said, your lovely sister has offered to help us with some problems we've been struggling within our world. This sickness, in particular, is a concern…"

"Can't you heal it with magic? Potions?"

Magnus nods slowly. "We can. It's not deadly for the time being. If you came down from your world a little more often, you'd have known there aren't that many warlocks around. We can't be medics around the clock. Potions require time as well as ingredients. Broken limbs in werewolves, young warlocks poisoning themselves with their own potions, the occasional demon crossing over to our side. We handle _all_ of that."

Alec glances at Isabelle.

"They can go to mundane medics only if they have an identity in the mundane world," Isabelle says. "And only with non-magical problems."

"Do you think we can help?" Alec asks. "We're not like them-," then he looks at Magnus, "like you. I mean, biologically _and_ magically."

"We're different," the warlock agrees. "But you have means of helping. Your kind always has but we barely even exist for you."

Alec frowns.

"Isn't that what everyone wanted? Three worlds, separate to keep peace in each of them?"

A strange expression crosses the warlocks face.

"Yes, isn't that what everyone wanted… You are right, of course, about the peace. It has worked well for a long time. But minding our own business shouldn't mean abandoning relations completely. Or do you think it should?"

Faced with a direct question like that, Alec wonders. His mind is going over everything their mother has ever said about the underworld.

'Don't bother them', 'don't waste your time on someone who doesn't even want you there', 'we're watching over the whole mundane world and there's not enough of us to spare. They've got their warlocks'.

"Do you _want_ to maintain relations with us?" Alec answers with a question.

"You don't know that we've asked for assistance a few times? Many years ago. We stopped trying."

"I- didn't know."

"I can believe that. You're young."

Isabelle speaks up: "We've got a chance to change that. Help them with the sickness, gain some trust and goodwill."

"Iz… that's not a decision for you to make for us all."

She doesn't waver.

"I may not be the leader but I do know this is the right thing to do. And _you_ are going to _be_ the leader so I think you should be here and hear these things."

"I _am_ here but if you think I can do anything at this time… I'm just the possible candidate."

Magnus is watching them closely. "You're going to be the leader?" he repeats.

Alec would have preferred this detail to stay unknown and he shoots his sister a disapproving look.

To Magnus, he answers truthfully. "I might be. Most likely."

"All right, so you're from the big-name families."

"Do you… mind?"

"Nah. It doesn't make any difference to me. You're all the same Nephilim to me."

Alec isn't sure if that was supposed to be a positive thing. Probably not.

He realizes he doesn't want this warlock to think badly of them, for some reason. Well, the warlock certainly appreciates _Izzy_ but he doesn't know Alec yet. Alec, who should be finding a way to convince Iz to go home but who is more interested in having Magnus talk to him more instead. Magnus, who is beautiful, has eyes of a cat and who is looking at Alec like he wants to ask all of his secrets.

When the woman from the other room comes in to apologize and ask Magnus's assistance with something, Alec finds himself strangely disappointed.

Magnus goes with her but first he thanks Isabelle for today's help and voices his hope that she'll be able to keep helping them. As for Alec, Magnus stops in front of him, tilts his head in that way he's done before, and looks Alec up and down.

"And you, pretty boy, are welcome to drop by any time. Even if you're going to silently disapprove of your sister, I could use the eye-candy."

Alec flushes, his face growing hot while he's failing to find an answer. No one's ever said anything like that to him. Magnus doesn't wait for him to find it, he leaves to follow his fellow warlock back to the kids.

Alec's left with his sister in the warlock office. He's stubbornly looking down at the floor until his blush goes down.

On their way back to cross over to the mundane world and back home, Isabelle tells Alec more. He finds out the blue woman is Catarina, a warlock medic. She tells him more about the orphanage and other sick kids, who have Downworlder families worrying about them. She tells Alec about other people she's met there and knows by name.

He can hear it in her voice how eager and determined she is to help.

They walk and she tells him more about the Downworld.

When they're out of there, they take flight.

Instead of going straight home, Alec tells Izzy to go take her samples to the lab because he wants to fly a little longer.

* *

He doesn't go with her the next time she leaves, even though she tells him she plans to go.

Alec ends up bringing up the Nephilim-Downworld relations with Maryse one day and knows immediately he shouldn't have. She shuts anything he says down, telling him he doesn't have the time for this now. If she's going to step down and move to a position in their home world, she has to know he's ready to keep up with the standard she's set up in the New York outpost.

Alec knows all that and he's working hard. He's doing _everything_ she ever told he should and more on top of that, because he set a bar high for himself, too.

And yet, she speaks to him like he's about to disappoint her. In fact, he's surprised by how irritated she is by him mentioning the Downworld, especially when she realizes he's actually gone there. She doesn't have the right to forbid him from going there but he feels like she would have done it if she could.

He drops it because he's taken aback by her reaction and a little hurt. He'll try again after he's figured out how to convince her it's not a waste of time.

Alec goes with Isabelle the next time. They fly together, cross the two worlds to get to the Downworld.

They appear in the market, as Alec has done the first time and Isabelle leads him back to the same orphanage building.

Magnus isn't there and Alec's mood drops. Still, he spends time with the kids Isabelle is examining. He plays with werewolf pups and notices there's more of them than warlock and seelie children counted together.

Alec isn't sure what he's even _doing_ there. He has no skills to help out and it feels like he's there to accompany Isabelle and find out more about the Downworld. Maybe that has to be enough for now.

His thing would be to talk with the adults, learn more from them. Find out what they're thinking about the Nephilim. He's planning to do that but he needs Magnus to be his guide and his first contact because Alec isn't about to start bothering the others in the streets.

Magnus does appear before an hour passes. The Lightwoods are still there, Isabelle is talking with Catarina in the office and Alec is looking over the whole orphan group. Having wings helps immensely in keeping children interested. They've seen Isabelle's already but his are larger to fit his larger form and are more of an attraction.

Alec doesn't know that Magnus has been watching them for a good while before stepping inside the room to say hello to the kids and Alec.

He's welcomed loudly and with excitement. While the group crowds around him, Alec has a moment to look at the warlock. He's in a dark purple shirt today, purple streaks in his hair to match. His pants and jacket are dark, making Alec think of storm clouds.

Silver rings shine on his fingers when he makes an elaborate gesture, his magic forming around his hand to produce a satchel full of something. Kids cry out, clearly happy and expecting something in particular from this.

Alec assumes Magnus has a habit of bringing them all sorts of little gifts. Maybe candy.

Magnus tells them to share and warns he'll be making sure later that everyone got one. The tallest child gets the satchel and the group leaves to go investigate the contents in the play corner where a low and wide table stands for kids to use.

Smiling, Magnus watches them go and then turns to look straight at Alec.

"I hope you're not giving away any more feathers, little bird. We've had many children born these past years so you might just be left with nothing."

Alec shrugs. "They regrow," he says, pretending full seriousness.

"Well, in that case maybe I should ask for one as well."

" _Do_ you want one?"

Magnus doesn't reply. He's looking at Alec and Alec returns his gaze.

And then, Magnus says: "Follow me, please."

Alec does without asking questions. Since the office is taken by Catarina and Isabelle, Magnus leads him to another room in the building. The corridor is as plain as the rest of it that Alec has already seen and it leads them to a room in the back with large windows. They can see the back garden through them.

The plants of the underworld are unlike than the ones topside. Their bark is darker and their shapes more twisted. Not _ugly_ , but strange. Low bushes fill the space between the tall ones and their flowers are past their prime- it's no longer the season for new blooms.

Magnus didn't bring Alec there to look at the local flora.

He stops by the window with Alec following him closely and he turns to face him.

"Alexander," he begins and surprises Alec with the full name. Did Isabelle tell him? Did they talk about him?

"The night after your visit, we had an outbreak of the sickness. It surprised us. Catarina had already used most of her reserves of magic that day so I took over. I sent word to another warlock to come to help me when I would inevitably run out as well… Catarina distributed potions and began making new batches while I healed those who were brought to us. It took hours. The requested help came but.. I still had magic in me to heal. By morning, we've stopped the progress of the sickness in all the children so that the potions could work from there. I still haven't run out. I portalled home and dropped in my bed… tired but without a headache."

Alec is listening, wondering why Magnus would tell him all that. The warlock is speaking softly as if he doesn't want anyone to listen in, even though they're alone.

"Do you know what this means, Alexander?"

Alec thinks about it and comes up empty.

"No?"

"I got a _boost_ ," Magnus says. "My magical reserves were bottomless that night. And the only stranger I had interacted with that day for more than five minutes had been _you_."

Alec's throat becomes tight. "I don't know what you mean."

"Haven't you noticed your wings becoming tireless for a day? Haven't you possibly fought a demon and slayed it in record time?"

Alec opens his mouth to speak but no fitting words come to his mind. He _had_ been flying for hours after he'd parted ways with Isabelle. His wings didn't ache the following day.

"Do you want to see my soulmark?" Magnus asks gently, softly, as if the question might offend Alec.

Alec manages to find his voice but it comes out raspy. "If you want-"

Magnus rolls up the left sleeve of his shirt and a black, dense pattern becomes visible. He offers his wrist to Alec, who leans closer.

Two loops, an s-like line. Many straight lines.

Alec's brain is frozen in a moment. Stuck. He's looking at the soulmark but he's not _processing_ the meaning.

_It isn't a thing that happens_ , Alec thinks and his thoughts sound like his mother's voice.

He can't be soul-bound to a warlock. He's a completely different race…

And his mother was _so angry_ about him having visited the underworld… she didn't push him to find his mate among the Nephilim… because she knew. She _must know_.

She's older, she's seen his mark since his birth and she must have wondered about Alec's loops and lines. She'd figured it out, either from books or someone else's knowledge.

And she didn't tell him.

Magnus is waiting, silent, with his arm still held up for Alec to see. Slowly, Alec reaches out to touch his skin. With one hand he holds Magnus's forearm and with the other, he traces the patterns. Touching them won't give him any arcane knowledge but he wants to be closer to it. It's the counterpart of his mark, so in a way this is _his_ , too. On Magnus's warm skin. Goosebumps raise on it in the wake of Alec's fingertips.

The warlock is still silent and it dawns on Alec he probably should reciprocate. He lets go of Magnus and takes off his own cover, the black band he wears over his mark.

And then, a smile slowly brightens the warlock's face. He's gazing down at Alec's mark like it's something precious in itself. Like he's seeing… like he's seeing something he's lost and found again.

Alec doesn't know why that came to his mind. He doesn't know what Magnus is _actually_ feeling…

"Are you disappointed?" Magnus asks.

"What?"

"Are you disappointed it's me?"

" _No_. No." Alec shakes his head for good measure. "It's unexpected. It doesn't matter to me."

Magnus doesn't appear convinced.

"It matters to your kind. Your leaders."

"Yes."

"I don't want you to lose something over this. Your position or respect."

Alec takes a breath, considering his answer. Somehow, in this empty, gray room of the orphanage with only Magnus there, Alec's thoughts clear and he finds it's not that difficult to speak his mind.

"I wasn't looking for my soulmate. Izzy's looking but I didn't care to do it. I thought if it was meant to be, we'd run into each other sooner or later. I had my work to focus on. It's important to me. I probably could have lived alone for years."

"Aren't you lonely?"

"I am. I was. My point is, I didn't care about my soulmate for as long as they were somewhere away from me. They were… just a thought."

"Do you care now?"

Magnus isn't meeting his gaze. He's looking down at the mark.

"I've met you, talked with you, touched you," Alec reaches out to take his hand again. "You're a real person, not a concept."

Alec hesitates before his next words. "You're my person."

Magnus laughs. A startled kind of laugh, one he maybe didn't even mean to let pass his lips.

"I'm your soulmate," he says out loud, like they're magical words to make this more real. "And you're mine."

"Do _you_ mind?" Alec asks him.

Magnus shakes his head decisively.

"I've waited so long, nothing could have possibly made me complain about my soulmate."

They don't make any plans. Alec will continue to visit with his sister and they will see what happens from there. Soulmates or not, they've seen each other all of two times. They need to learn about each other.

Alec doesn't tell his sister that day. He _will_ , but for now this is for him to think about on his own, not announce it to the world.

* *

Meeting with Magnus regularly makes their new powers stick. It's no longer a day-long effect like Magnus had described but an almost permanent one.

When Alec goes on patrols, he always goes with Jace and Jace's soulmate. If – when – they notice his abilities changed, they will keep it a secret for him. He goes with Isabelle, too, but she's been spending even more hours in the lab lately. She's allowed because at the same time she's continuing her work on purely Nephilim research. (Besides that, Alec knows their mother thinks this is keeping Isabelle from running around, crossing the worlds.)

Magnus works long hours using his improved magic to heal while Isabelle at his side tries to find a chemical solution to a demonic sickness, and the other warlocks try out new potions.

Alec can't help them directly but he spends more time working in the Institute, with one goal in mind. The stakes have changed for him. He _has_ to become the New York leader if he wants to change how they're treating the Downworld there. He's not dreaming yet of influencing the Nephilim in other parts of the world but he's always been good at working steadily, point by point until the task is complete.

He has to be the leader so that no one can try to order him to give up his warlock.

Maryse tries to do just that. She finds out (he knew she would) the truth about Alec's trips to the Downworld. Surely not from Isabelle but ultimately Alec doesn't care how she found out.

She's angry. Oh, she's so angry about his unusual soulmark.

"I've done everything to keep you safe from this," she's saying, pacing the floor of the office. "I raised you to be an excellent Shadowhunter and the future Head. I haven't even asked you to find a suitable partner to live with and to be your support, I let you be. But you still did this?"

Alec doesn't particularly want to argue with her. He doesn't want to have to defend what should be a clear thing. He has a soulmate and it's his right to be with them. His position on this matter is clear and unnegotiable. But his parents aren't soulmates. They'd married because they _chose_ to and although Maryse appreciates the importance of the powers soulmates give each other, she wouldn't understand standing face-to-face with a destined person.

"Isabelle I get," Maryse goes on. "She's always gone her own way, no matter how badly that reflected on us as a family. She's made the Downworlders her little project, that's fine. We let that go. But you, Alec, must be blind not to see how what you're doing is wrong."

"What _am_ I doing, mom? I'm only getting to know my _soulmate_. I'm helping him help his people and I also make sure my work here doesn't suffer from it."

"You're giving him _power_. He's a warlock. With your soulbond, you're making him twice as powerful."

"He's doing the same for me."

Disappointed, she shakes her head.

"Most Nephilim find their mates, Alec. Whether or not _you_ do, doesn't matter that much for our strength as a group. It's not the same."

Alec shouldn't be surprised, but he is. It hurts.

"Why are you saying things like this? If he didn't have me for a mate, he would have had someone else-"

She interrupts him.

" _No_ , Alec, he probably wouldn't. Warlocks rarely find mates. Downworlders can have mundane mates, did you know that? How likely do you think it is for a warlock to find theirs in all the years they live? And if they do, how long do you think they keep them? You accepting the bond is _not_ a usual thing. You are giving him – them – the advantage."

"To do what?" He asks, incredulous. "Attack us? What nonsense are you trying to convince me of right now? We've never been at war with them. There's no reason for us to avoid each other except for our pride."

" _Dignity_ , Alec. We are meant to be separated if we want to hold up our mission. They are demon-blooded and are prone to corruption."

He nearly rolls his eyes.

"So are mundanes. They're corrupted even without demon blood. Downworlders could help us. _Because_ of the demon blood, warlocks are able to fight demons and track their origin as well."

"That has always been the case," she replies. "And you _did_ know that. You're bringing this up now only because you met a _man_ you're interested in."

Alec looks down.

"You're right. I wouldn't have cared before. I had to see them for myself to change that. I _chose_ to change that. We're supposed to learn, to be better, not stagnate. There is nothing you can say that will make me give my soulmate up. He isn't a threat and the others aren't either."

"Fine. We'll see soon enough."

"We will."

*

The same evening, Alec flies straight to Magnus. He knows where Magnus's home is by now because he has been invited there and instead of crossing the worlds in the market and walking from there, Alec takes flight. The Downworlders' eyes follow him curiously but since they know they have two regular Angel children visitors, they don't think twice about it.

Alec knocks with a little more strength than necessary and Magnus comes to the door quickly, thinking someone might be needing his help.

He's surprised but very pleased to see Alec's face.

Then, he notices something isn't quite right. He can read it in Alec's eyes and the way he's almost buzzing with emotions.

"Come in, Alexander."

Inside, he takes Alec to his living room and tells him to sit. Alec sits on the sofa and Magnus lowers himself to a crouch in front of him.

"What's wrong? Something happened?"

Alec sighs.

"I fought with my mother."

Magnus understands.

"Over me?"

"Yes. Apparently now that you have powers from our soulbond, you're going to become our nemesis and destroy the world."

Magnus smiles, amused. If Alec can joke about this, Magnus will let himself be a little less concerned for him, even though surely conflict with his own mother is a serious thing.

"Oh. Of course. That's right, I forgot to tell you about my plans. I'll be very busy this week."

At that, Alec smiles, too.

They look at each other, both seeing the fondness in their soulmate's eyes.

"May I sleep here tonight?"

"Of course, little bird."

"With you, I mean. In the same bed?"

"Yes. You don't need to ask twice. But first, would you like a late dinner?"

"I- yes. I might have forgotten to eat today."

Magnus nods. "I thought so."

He stands up and Alec stays on the sofa because he can watch Magnus from there.

The house is as modest as other Downworld buildings but Magnus puts his colors on himself instead. His clothes and hair, and sometimes eye-makeup when he doesn't have just the kohl.

Alec knows by now that warlocks can only _create_ some things with magic. The rest are summoned from elsewhere. Most of the time from the rich mundane world because they wouldn't steal from the already lacking underworld.

Tonight, the dinner is being summoned. Magnus can cook but he doesn't want to waste time doing it and he doesn't want to make the Nephilim wait when he hasn't eaten.

When they sit down to eat together, Alec mentions Isabelle. She thinks she's close to a breakthrough with the cure.

Magnus nods. "She has sent me a message. I _hope_ it will work. You know we're grateful for the help even if it takes longer to make a cure. You've done a lot for us."

" _I_ haven't done anything."

Magnus gives him a pointed look.

"You're with me. You're making it possible for me to heal more people, sickness and injuries. Thanks to that, Cat can spend more time in the apothecary and tending to other needs in the orphanage. Not to mention you've been spending time with the children."

Alec stares at his plate. "It's nothing," he mutters but he's silently pleased with the warm tone Magnus is speaking to him in.

They finish the meal and move to the bedroom. Magnus stops at the door, puts his hands on his hips and considers his bed.

"That's not made to fit a Nephilim. I never thought I'd be dating one."

He sends magic out to fix that little issue. In a blue mist, the bed widens and with it so do the bedsheets and the comforter. Then, Magnus adds more pillows even though he already had a whole herd of them there.

"That's better. Come on, darling, you actually look like you'll be out the moment you lie down."

He isn't wrong. Seeing the bed, Alec is suddenly overcome with tiredness.

They strip to their underwear and then lie down, looking for the best position for both of them and the wings.

Magnus is thrilled to have them there. Those thick, fluffy wings which he knows are as soft as they appear because he's touched them during Alexander's previous visits. They must make a bed warmer at night, too.

Despite everything, Alec doesn't pass out the moment his head hits the pillow. He's awake and keeping his eyes open, and Magnus wonders if he wants to talk some more.

He does.

"I'm already exhausted thinking about the future… but I can't give up. Especially not just because of my mother."

"It's always hard to be the one to go against the flow. But you're not alone. Your sister started it. You mentioned your adopted brother. Surely he can be asked to back you up."

"Yeah. He would. He will. But we're just… Some older members of the council still see us as kids."

"But you aren't. You don't talk and act like a child, Alexander. They will see that."

Magnus reaches over to the part of the right wing he can touch. He runs his fingers down the feathers, just like Alexander likes.

"We don't have to solve this tonight. We don't even have to solve it this year."

Alec sighs, content where he is, with his mate touching him, even though his mind is troubled.

"I have lived for a long time and underworld has existed for a long time. We can wait for you to succeed, my little bird."

Alec closes his eyes, let's himself just feel Magnus's fingers smoothing down the feathers ruffled from the wind in his earlier flight. Sleep is just behind the corner, already fogging his mind. Tomorrow, he'll wake in a better mood, ready to work again.


End file.
